Shirt



' 'UNITED STATES fPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. O. MURPHY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPEGIFICATIONAKformng part of Letters Patent No'. 260,775, dated July 11, 1882.

Application filed April 21, 1882., (No model.)

l To all whom it mayooncera:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. C. MURPHY, of Boston,in the countyr of Suffolk, of the State ot' Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shirts; and I do hereby declare the same to be described in the following specification and represented in the accompanyin g drawings, of which- Figurel is a front elevation, and Figs. 2 and 3 transverse and horizontal sections, of a s hirtfront made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a front view of the front, showing the manner in which it is slit vertically and laterally prior to being gathered or plaited in the part immediately below the lateral slit.

My improvementis to enable me to construct of a single piece of cloth a shirt-front with an opening from the neck down to the waist and with laps at-such opening.

vIn carrying out my invention I slit the piece A (of the right form externally) from the neck downward to the waist, in manner as shown by the line a b in Fig. 4, and next slit it laterally in the lower terminus of the line a b a sufficient distance, either bya straight line, b c, or by a curved line. Having done this, I gather or plait laterally the part immediately below the line b c, so as to cause the part directly over such line and between it and the neck, and on one side 0f the line a b, to lap over and upon the part which is on the opposite side of such line a b, and after having hemmed or properly iinished the two laps and provided one with buttons and the other with a buttoning-liy I usually sew or fix to the plaited or gathered portion of the waist, and so as to cover the lower part of the outer lap, a triangular or other proper shaped stay, c.

In Fig. 1 the outer lap is shown at d, while `in Fig. 2 the outer and inner laps are represented at d and e. In Fig. 3 the plaiting of the part below the lateral slit is shown at f.

I would further observe that I make in the front, and also in the front parts of the collar or collar-band, a set of lacing-holes, and insert a lacing therein, and also embroider or ornamentally stitch the front, as fancy or custom may require, the whole being to give the shirt the appearance of what is generally termed a wheelman or lawn-tennis players lacedbosom shirt.77 f A To the rear or inner side of the overlapping part d there is attached a buttoningliy,f, (see Fig. 2,) provided with button-holes to receive buttons g, fixed to the lap e on its front side, suchbeing to enable the two lapsto be closed together by buttons without such buttons being seen as going through the outer lap. I am aware that it is not new to make a shirt-front with a vertical and lateral cut and a plait in it, as hereinbefore described, and to sew to such front an entire plaited shirt-bosom, so as to cause the folded parts of such front above the plait to constitute backings or linings to the said bosom. I therefore do not claim such, as in my shirt such addition or bosom is entirely dispensed with and a stay is used at the lower parts of the laps; and I have ytc the outer lap a buttoning-iiy, and I also have buttons to the inner lap to engage with the button-holes of the said iiy, and I have on the outer Vlap and in the front parts of the collar lacing-holes and a lacing, whereby the outer lap may be secured to the collar and the latter closed by the lacing. Therefore What I claim as an improved article of manufacture isl, The described shirt, having its front slit at its middle vertically and laterally and folded and plaited, as explained, and provided with the stay, the buttoning-liy, and buttons, and

also with the lacing-holes and lacing arranged in the front lap and in the collar, all 'being substantially as set forth.

2. The shirt-front slit atd its middle vertically and laterally and plaited, as described, and provided at the junction of the plait and folds with the stay, and having to the outer fold thebuttoning-ily and to the inner fold buttons to engage with such fly, all being as set forth.

JOHN M. O.MURPHY.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, E. B. PRATT. 

